NBA Draft 2019: Winners and losers

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 20: Ja Morant looks on after being selected second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Melanie Fidler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 20: Luka Samanic celebrates after being selected number nineteen overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Loser No. 4: The San Antonio Spurs Draft invincibility

Every year, we joke — the Spurs took an international guy, he’ll probably pan out and be great. Of course, the Spurs borg took (Player X the draft community likes). They have hit too many times to not trust them — from second rounders like Davis Bertans to late first rounders like Derrick White and Kyle Anderson. The Spurs’ front office has a long list of quality draft decisions that have extended their run, and a short list of bad ones.

Except……2019 was probably one of the bad ones. Luka Samanic was an incredibly Spurs pick, but he’s not exactly super exciting as a 6-foot-11 big that is a supposed floor spacer and passer, but doesn’t really do well with either. He seems like more of a project, as does Keldon Johnson, who they took at No. 29. Johnson, in particular, is an incredibly un-Spursy pick, an undersized three who doesn’t make high-level decisions, drifts in and out of games, and is a 3-and-D prospect that isn’t very good at either. Combine that with last year’s draft — Lonnie Walker didn’t appear to be a stellar fit even before his injury, and Chimezie Metu was mostly a forgettable disaster — and we could be seeing the cracks in the armor for the Spurs’ draft scouting. All good runs must eventually end, after all.

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